Cotton gin rotary brush means and brush strip holder therefor



Dec. 28, 1965 L. E. JONES 3,225,389

COTTON GIN ROTARY BRUSH MEANS AND BRUSH STRIP HOLDER THEREFOR Filed Jan.29, 1963 FIIG 1. E 21 10 INVENTOR.

Z4oy0 E rlwvss United States Patent 3,225,389 CGTTON GIN ROTARY BRUSHMEANS AND BRUSH STRIP HOLDER THEREFOR Lloyd E. Jones, Pasadena, Calif.,assignor to Industrial Brush Company, Arcadia, Calif., a corporation ofCalifornia Filed Jan. 29, 1963, Ser. No. 254,693 8 (Ilaims. (1. 19-60)This invention relates to a rotary brush means and more particularlyrelates to a novel metal holder construction for a brush strip adaptedfor use in a cotton gin.

Prior cotton gin brushes have included wood core means upon which weremounted longitudinally extending parallel bars of wood which had beendrilled to provide sockets for tufted brush bristles. The wood bars wereafiixed to the core means by longitudinally extending clamping meansreleasably attached to the core means at spaced intervals by suitablestud bolts or other attachment means. Such prior wood bars with bristletufts were usually installed in such a cotton gin brush bylongitudinally inserting the bar in a longitudinal recess provided byclamping or other means. (See Patents 403,973; 1,018,327; 2,450,679.)

Maintenance of such wood bars with tufted brush bristles therein hasbeen relatively costly and expensive. One of the problems involved witha cotton gin brush employing wood bars with tufted bristles has includedproper dynamic balancing of the rotary brush. A rotary cotton gin brushmust have a peripheral speed substantially in excess of the peripheralspeed of cotton fiberengaging saw teeth so that the gin brush canrapidly sweep the saw teeth clean of the cotton fibers. As aresult,'cotton gin brushes may be rotated up to motor speed or frombetween 750 r.p.m. to 1750 r.p.m. A dynamically unbalanced brush willsoon result in uneven wear on the brush and possible damage to ordestruction of the associated cotton gin machinery.

An unbalanced condition of such a cotton gin brush is relativelyunavoidable because of the use of wood bars. A wood bar absorbs moisturein different amounts along its length and with respect to other bars.Some wood bars release their moisture at different rates so thatdistribution of weight along the wood bars may vary throughout the day.Moreover, since wood bars are provided with tufted bristles, the preciseuniform distribution of such tufted bristles and their attachment to thewood bar is time consuming. It is difficult to provide a wood bar ofuniform balance and weight distribution throughout its entire length.When such a tufted wood bar becomes worn in part only, the entire barwas discarded. Moreover, if part of the wood bar should break, theentire bar was replaced. If one or two wood bars on a cotton gin brushwore unevenly, then, to restore the rotary brush to its desiredconfiguration and effectiveness, the entire rotary brush was removedfrom the cotton gin machinery and the wood bars removed longitudinallytherefrom. It is difficult to remove such wood bars from cotton ginmachinery because of limited available working space. Such rotarybrushes for cotton gins utilizing tufted wood bars were also susceptibleto fire hazards. When only part of the bristles or wood was burned alongthe length of such a bar, the entire bar was discarded.

The present invention contemplates a brush holder construction adaptedfor cotton gin rotary brush means and which includes numerous advantagesover wood bar tufted brush members of prior proposed cotton gin brushmeans. Generally speaking, the cotton gin brush holder construction ofthe present invention may be quickly and readily substituted for priorwood bar constructions and is arranged to greatly facilitateinstallation of the brush 3,225,389 Patented Dec. 28, 1965 holder and toprovide a more effective cotton gin brush means.

The present invention contemplates a novel brush holder and brush stripassembly which is readily adaptable to any one of various sizes ofcotton gin rotary brush means presently used.

The primary object of the present invention therefore is to design andprovide a novel brush holder means, a brush strip construction forassembly therewith, a combined brush holder and brush strip, and arotary brush means employing the same which is adapted for use withcotton gin machinery.

An object of the invention is to design and provide a brush strip holdermember adapted for mounting on the core means of different diameter.

Another object of the invention is to disclose and provide a brushholder member for cotton gin rotary brush means comprising an extrudedmetal brush holder adapted to releasably retain a brush strip therein.

A further object of the invention is to disclose and provide a brushholder member provided with an extruded integral structure having hingemeans for cooperation with clamping means to hold the brush holdermember in assembly on a brush core means.

A still further object of the invention is to provide. a novel brushholder member having inturned depending brush strip grasping portionsfor frictionally releasably holding a brush strip in assembly therewith,said grasping portions being hingedly connected with a base portion ofthe holder member for responding to clamping pressures.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a releasableassembly of a brush strip and holder therefor wherein positive interlockmeans prevent disassembly of the strip from the holder during rotationof a brush means carrying the strip and holder assembly.

The invention contemplates a brush holder member and brush stripconstructed so that clamping pressures imparted to the member and stripwhen in assembly serve to further compress brush bristles carried by thestrip. The holder and brush strip of this invention provide a rigid,uniform in weight and size brush construction which facilitates dynamicbalancing, ease of repair, maintenance of bristle uniformity, andfacility of replacement of individual brush strips without removing therotary brush from its mounting and by which machine down time is reducedto a minimum.

Various other objects and advantages of the present invention will bereadily apparent from the following description of the drawings in whichexemplary embodiments of the invention are shown.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, transverse sectional view of a cotton ginrotary brush means embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal fragmentary sectional view taken in the planesindicated by line IIII of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view of a cotton gin rotary brush meansof minimum diameter embodying the invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of a.

brush strip holder member embodying the invention.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view of a brush strip wedgeface of the brush strip holder member shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating one method ofassemblying a brush strip with the brush strip holder shown in FIG. 4.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, a cotton gin rotary brush means generally indicated at10, may be of cylindrical form and of relatively large diameter. In acotton gin process of separating seeds from cotton fibers, a number ofspaced 3, sequentially arranged cotton gin rotary brushes of differentdiameters and size may be used to perform specific functions in theprocessing of the cotton. The present invention is applicable to each ofthe cotton gin rotary brush constructions in the process, whether ofsmall or large diameter.

Generally speaking, rotary brush means comprises a brush core meansincluding a shaft 12 driven by suitable driving means and supported bysuitable bearings not shown. Shaft 12 supports a plurality of collars 13of selected diameter in longitudinal spaced, fixed relation.Circumferential edge faces 14 of collars 13 support a plurality ofradially spaced longitudinal clamp members 15, suitable stud bolts 16being used to releasably secure the clamp members to collars 13.Adjacent clamp members 15 secure brush strip holder members, generallyindicated at 18, in circumferentially spaced relation. Each holdermember 18 carries a longitudinally extending brush strip 19 providedwith outwardly extending bristle layer 20 cut to a preselected length soas to provide an outer generally cylindrical brush having an outerdiameter indicated at 21.

The brush core means comprising shaft 12 and collars 13 are exemplaryonly. The core means may be constructed as by a single solid metal shaft12' as shown in FIG. 3, for providing a minimum brush diameter. Thenumber of collars 13 may be varied, depending upon the length of shaft12 and the collars may be integral or split to provide a desired coreassembly.

Each clamp member 15 comprises a bottom wall 23 having a bottom surfaceseated on edge faces 14 of collars 13 and secured by stud bolts 16.Extending upwardly and divergingly outwardly from bottom wall 23, arelongitudinally extending side clamp portions 24 which terminate inlongitudinally extending clamp lips 25. The edges of adjacent lips 25 ofadjacent portions 24 are spaced and define a longitudinally extendingslot 26 through which bristle layer 20 of brush strip 19 may project.Adjacent portions 24 define longitudinal passageways. Clamp members 15extend the length of brush means 10 and may be loosened by partiallyunthreading stud bolt 16 for displacement radially outwardly from theshaft 12.

One of the important features of the present invention is theconstruction of brush holder member 18 which is clamped and rigidly heldagainst edge faces 14 of collars 13 by clamps 15, pressure contact beingmade at and adjacent lips 25. Each brush holder member 18 may comprisean extruded metal elongated member having a cross-sectional outlineapproximately the size and shape of existing cross-sectional outlines ofpresently used wood bars containing tufts of bristles. This rectangularoutline of such similar area and size as that of prior wood bars permitsmetal holder members 18 to replace the wood bars without modification ofexisting core means or clamp means.

Each brush strip holder member 18 FIGS. 4 and 5 comprises an extruded,generally H section including upstanding spaced side wall means havingparallel spaced side walls 30 having longitudinal bottom edges 31. Inspaced relation to bottom edges 31 is an interconnecting transverse wall32. Wall 32 is spaced above edges 31 a distance at least greater thanthe height of a circular segment on a cylindrical collar 13 or shaft 12'having a chord equal to the distance between edges 31 of said walls.Thus when edges 31 of member 18 are seated on edge face 14 of collar 13,the bottom surface 33 of wall 32 is free of contact with edge face 14and a rockable mounting of holder 18 on edge face 14 is avoided. Therelationship between the lateral spacing of edges 31 and the height ofbottom surface 33 of wall 32 is such that when the holder 18 issupported on a shaft, such as 12', of minimum diameter, edges 31 willlongitudinally contact the surface of shaft 12' and the bottom surface33 of the holder will be slightly spaced therefrom. Thus a nonrockablelateral support for holder member 18 is provided on shafts havingminimum diameter, such as 7 shaft diameter.

The lower portions of side walls 30 together with the transverse wall 32form a horizontal or sidewardly disposed metal I-section base means. Thesupport of edges 31 on collars 13 limit bending of the horizontallydisposed I-beam section and between collars 13 the I-section base meansis sufiiciently stiff and rigid so that bending will not occur inspanning the space between collars 13.

The top portions of side walls 30 are provided with sidewardly extendingexternal beads or projections 36 which may slightly exceed the width ofthe rectangular cross-section of a presently used wood bar. Externalprojections 36 on side walls 30 cooperate with the upper or outersections of side clamp portions 24 and clamp lips 25 of clamp members15. When clamp members 15 are drawn tight by stud bolts 16, clamp lips25 exert a lateral, inwardly and downwardly directed force against topportions of walls 30 and inturned depending brush strip graspingportions 38 provided on each wall 30 internally of holder member 18. Tofacilitate inward bending or flexing of upper portions of side walls 30and grasping portions 38, each side wall 30 is provided with an internallongitudinally extending groove 39 spaced above transverse wall 32 anddefining a reduced or narrow metal hinge section 40. Upper portions ofside wall 30 and grasping portion 38 may limitedly pivot about hingesection 40 as if a hinge connection were provided.

The inturned depending grasping portions 38 (FIG. 5) may include topsurfaces 42 terminating in parallel longitudinally extending spaced edgefaces 43 which define therebetween a longitudinally extending opening44. Below opening 44 parallel locking shoulders or ledges 43a for abrush strip are defined by faces 43 and internal pressure faces 45 whichmay be inclined downwardly and outwardly to provide opposed wedge facesspaced apart a greater distance at their bottom than at shoulder 43a.The grasping portions 38 include depending grasping sections 46 inopposed, spaced relation and which terminate in inwardly directed edges47 defining spaced, longitudinally extending seats 48 for the bottomportion of a brush strip 19. Pressure faces 45 and inturned edges 47define on inner surfaces of sections 46 longitudinally extendingrecesses 49 which may conform to the external configuration of brushstrip base member 51 of strip 19. It should be noted that graspingportions 38 are spaced symmetrically with respect to a vertical,longitudinally extending plane bisecting holder member 18 and that theconfigurations of pressure faces 45, recesses 49 and edges 47 aresymmetrical with respect to said plane.

Brush strip 19 may be modified in its construction from Well known typesof brush strips and may include the brush strip base member 51 having aselected external configuration to provide a bottom or base stripportion having a configuration corresponding to the shape of the spacedefined by faces 45 and recesses 49 of grasping sections 46. Within basemember 51 is provided a core member 52 serving to secure bristles 20 inwell known manner. The bristles 20 provide a longitudinally extendinglayer of brush bristle or filament material of selected flexibility andsubstantially uniform density throughout its length to effectively stripcotton fibers from seed separating teeth on adjacent gin or saw blades.Each uniform bristle layer provides, in effect, a fan-like blade meanswhich creates a desirable positive uniform movement of air as thebristle layer sweeps over a saw blade, such positive fanning movement ofeach bristle layer serving to facilitate movement of separated fibersaway from the saw blade and teeth. Base member 51 includes side walls ofa height approximately equal to the distance between shoulder 43a andseat 48. Top edge faces 53 of base member 51 and shoulders 43a interlockin abutting engagement to positively retain strip 19 in assembly withholder 18.

In assembly of rotary cotton gin brush means 18 described above, it willbe apparent that shaft 12 may be provided with spaced collars 13 thereonand clamps 15 loosely secured on the collars by stud bolts 16. Brushholders 18 may be longitudinally inserted into the passageways providedbetween side portions 24 of adjacent clamps 15. When holders 18 are inproper longitudinal and lateral alignment on the core means, clamps 15may be tightened by turning the stud bolts 16. As clamps 15 are drawntight and radially inwardly, it will be apparent that clamp lips 25 andadjacent portions of side portions 24 are drawn downwardly and exertradially inwardly directed pressure against external beads 36 on thevirtually enclosed holder 18. Such pressure not only tends to firmlyseat the spaced bottom edges 31 of the holder on the edge faces 14, butalso exerts a laterally directed force component which tends to bend thetop portions of side walls inwardly toward each other and to urgegrasping portions 38 closer together. Thus, as clamps 15 are tightened,not only is holder 18 more firmly seated on the core means, but graspingportions 38 are pressed into tighter frictional engagement with thebrush strip 19. After clamps 15 have been tightened on rotary brush 10,the entire brush may be assembled with a cotton gin machine.

After rotary brush means 18 is installed in a cotton gin machine, it isoften necessary to replace one or more of brush strips 19 due to wear,damage, fire or other reasons. An important feature of the presentinvention is that holders 18 need not be disassembled from the rotarybrush to replace a brush strip 19. For example, one of clamp members 15,engaged with a holder 18 having a strip 19 to be replaced, may beloosened sufiiciently so that holder 18 is no longer under clampingpressure. Under this loosened condition, one end of brush strip 19 maybe pried radially outwardly from its position within grasping portions38 by insertion of a screwdriver or other suitable tool at the end ofholder 18. The top portions of side walls 30 and grasping portions 38may be spread sufficiently apart because of hinge sections 40 to permitsuch movement of the end of brush strip 19 through opening 44. Once anend portion of strip 19 has cleared the top surface of holder 18, theremainder of the strip may be readily removed from grasping portions 38by longitudinally sliding a transversely disposed bar or screwdriveralong the top surface of holder 18 until the entire brush strip 19 isremoved by such radial outward displacement thereof.

It is important to note that the interlocking abutting engagement ofshoulder-s 43a and top edges 53 may be only of sufficient width topositively lock strip 19 in holder 18 so that centrifugal force of arotating brush will not eject the strip. An exemplary interlocking widthis approximately .015 inch. Such width of the locking shoulder or ledge43a will permit spreading apart of the grasping sections 46 andenlargement of opening 44 to provide removal of strip 19 as abovedescribed.

After removal, a new brush strip 19 may be radially inwardly insertedthrough opening 44 by generally reversing the above strip removalprocess. That is, one end of new brush strip 19 may be first pressedthrough opening 44 (FIG. 6) by forcing a suitable tool, such as the endof a screwdriver, downwardly (radially inwardly) thereagainst to causesufiicient spreading apart of side walls 30 about their hinge sections48 so that the strip end may be fully received within recesses 49. Oncethe end of the strip has been started in recesses 49, furtherprogressive application of force by the screwdriver at spaced intervalsalong the length of brush strip 19 will press the strip into fullreception within the brush holder 18 and into interlocked relation withthe holder along lock shoulders 43a.

In the event the ends of holders 18 are accessible for longitudinalremoval of a brush strip 19 when grasping and clamping pressures arerelieved, it will be readily apparent that such longitudinal removal maybe easily accomplished while retaining the holder18 against movement.

In an arrangement of a plurality of cotton gin brushes involvingdifferent diameters, a minimum diameter may be that as shown in FIG. 3where shaft 12' is approximately in diameter. Even on such a smallcylindrical surface, brush holder 18 is adapted to be readily assembledand used because of the construction of the base means of brush holder18. As illustrated in somewhat exaggerated fashion in FIG. 3, the spacededges 31 seat upon the cylindrical surface of shaft 12' and providestable mounting of holder 18 thereon. The clamp means 15' are of similarconfiguration as that shown in FIG. 1 with clamp lips 25 and clamp sides24' disposed at a greater angle with respect to bottom wall 23'. Clampbolt 16 secures the clamp means 15' to shaft 12'. Application ofclamping forces to top portions of side walls 30 of the holders 18 is inthe same manner as above described. Thus, brush holder 18 may be readilyused on core means of diameters from 7 to greater diameters such as 2 to3 feet or more and that the holder configuration is such that they maybe readily substituted for existing tufted wood cotton gin bars.

It is important to note that the extruded metal section brush stripholder member 18 is rigid throughout its length and has virtuallyuniform distribution of metal. Dynamic balancing of such a rotary ginbrush is thus initially facilitated. During use of such a rotary brush,the dynamic balancing is not affected by changes in ambient humiditybecause holders 18 are of metal, whereas prior wood barsdisproportionately absorbed ambient humidity or moisture.

Since holder members 18 may be extruded of lightweight metals such asaluminum, an overall weight reduction for the cotton gin rotary brush isachieved. The uniformity of the bristle layer throughout the length ofthe brush strip and its effective sweeping and fanning action providesenhanced efiiciency in the cotton gin process. The construction of theholder 18 and strip 19 provides facilities in maintenance of suchbrushes which has not been achieved heretofore, and in an inexpensivenon-time consuming manner.

It will be understood that various modifications and changes may be madein the construction of a cotton gin rotary brush means, brush holder,and brush strip described above which come within the spirit of theinvention and all such modifications and changes coming within the scopeof the appended claims are embraced thereby.

I claim:

1. A brush strip holder construction for a cotton gin brush meanscomprising an integral extruded member of generally H-section, saidH-section including spaced parallel side walls interconnected by atransverse Wall having a bottom surface in spaced relation to bottomedges of said walls, each of said walls being provided with alongitudinally extending groove above said transverse wall forming ahinge section for said wall; each of said walls being provided with aninturned depending brush strip supporting and grasping portion, saidgrasping portions having inturned opposed lips in spaced relation, saidlips being adapted to provide a seat for a brush strip, each of saidwalls having a top external projection extending beyond the exteriorsurface of said well; said grasping portions being adapted toresiliently and frictionally receive therebetween a brush strip.

2. A brush holder construction as stated in claim 1 wherein saidgrasping portions are provided with opposed longitudinally extendingrecesses.

3. In a cotton gin rotary brush means, the combination of: a core meansincluding a shaft and a plurality of spaced collar members thereon; aplurality of clamp means extending longitudinally of the core means andsupported by said collar means; said clamp means defining a plurality oflongitudinally extending passageways provided with longitudinallyextending top slots; brush holder means received within saidpassageways, each holder means including depending spaced brush stripsupport portions forming a longitudinal opening; brush strip meanscarried by each brush holder means on said support portions and having alongitudinally extending uniformly compact bristle layer extendingthrough said slots; said strip supporting portions imposing a graspingforce on the brush strip means; said clamp means being adapted to betightened against said brush holder means to sidewardly and inwardlygrasp said brush holder means and to impose additional grasping forceson said brush strip means.

4. A brush means as stated in claim 3 wherein said holder means includesside walls connected with said support portions, said side walls havinga longitudinally extending reduced section serving as hinge means.

5. A brush means as stated in claim 3 wherein said holder means includesside walls connected with said depending support portions, said sidewalls having longitudinally extending sidewardly directed projectionsfor engagement with said clamp means.

6. A brush means as stated in claim 3 wherein said brush strip supportportions include brush strip grasping areas including clamping shouldersat upper margins of said areas, said clamping shoulders being spacedbelow said longitudinal opening.

7. In a rotary brush means, the combination of: a core means; aplurality of clamp means extending longitudinally of the core means,said clamp means defining a plurality of longitudinally extendingpassageways provided with longitudinally extending top slots; a brushholder member including upstanding spaced wall means defining a centrallongitudinally extending opening; base means for said wall means; saidwall means having external top engagement means cooperable with saidclamp means; and a brush strip means supported in said opening andadapted to be grasped and retained by flexing movement of said wallmeans about said base means for pressure engagement of said brush stripmeans by said wall means.

8. In combination, a brush strip holder construction comprising: a brushholder member including upstanding spaced wall means defining a centrallongitudinally extending outwardly facing opening; a base means for saidwall means; a brush strip means downwardly receivable through saidopening for cooperable assembly with said wall means; and means on saidwall means locking said strip means in assembly therewith; said wallmeans including brush strip grasping portions in spaced relation belowsaid opening, said grasping portions including locking shoulders andinturned bottom edges spaced therefrom for defining longitudinallyextending opposed recesses for retaining said brush strip means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 968,820 8/1910Vardcll 19-60 1,519,929 12/1924 Rascher 15-176 2,135,885 11/1938 Dow15-183 2,523,823 9/1950 Grzelczyk 15-183 X 2,642,610 6/1953 Erik 15-1762,653,340 9/1953 Cave 15-183 X 2,721,348 10/1955 Blydenburgh 15-1832,921,329 1/1960 Peterson 15-183 X 2,978,726 4/1961 Park 15-1833,085,274 4/1963 Vincent et al 15-183 FOREIGN PATENTS 754,953 8/ 1956Great Britain.

DONALD W. PARKER, Primary Examiner.

RUSSELL C. MADER, Examiner.

1. A BRUSH STRIP HOLDER CONSTRUCTION FOR A COTTON GIN BRUSH MEANSCOMPRISING AN INTEGRAL EXTRUDED MEMBER OF GENERALLY H-SECTION, SAIDH-SECTION INCLUDING SPACED PARALLEL SIDE WALLS INTERCONNECTED BY ATRANSVERSE WALL HAVING A BOTTOM SURFACE IN SPACED RELATION TO BOTTOMEDGES OF SAID WALLS, EACH OF SAID WALLS BEING PROVIDED WITH ALONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING GROOVE ABOVE SAID TRANSVERSE WALL FORMING AHINGE SECTION FOR SAID WALL; EACH OF SAID WALLS BEING PROVIDED WITH ANINTURNED DEPENDING BRUSH STRIP SUPPORTING AND GRASPING PORTION, SAIDGRASPING PORTIONS HAVING INTURNED OPPOSED LIPS IN SPACED RELATION, SAIDLIPS BEING ADAPTED TO PROVIDE A SEAT FOR A BRUSH STRIP, EACH OF SAIDWALLS HAVING A TOP EXTERNAL PROJECTIONEXTENDING BEYOND THE EXTERIORSURFACE OF SAID WELL; SAIS GRASPING PORTIONS BEING ADAPTED TORESILIENTLY AND FRICTIONALLY RECEIVE THEREBETWEEN A BRUSH STRIP.